By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Ilongga Abigail Maraño and Aklanon Dell Palomata are set to spearhead the two national women’s volleyball teams in the Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship slated from October 1 to 7 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

Maraño will lead the Team Rebisco squad along with Ejiya Laure, Jessica Galanza, Faith Nisperos, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Mhicaela Belen, Imee Hernandez, Ivy Lacsina, Rhea Dimaculangan, Kamille Cal, Jennifer Nierva, and Bernadette Pepito.

Palomata, on the other hand, is part of Team Choco Mucho along with Iris Tolenada, Kalei Mau, Marjana Phillips, Ernestine Tiamzon, Kat Tolentino, Mylene Paat, Kianna Dy, Marivic Meneses, Mary Joy Baron, Deanna Wong, and Dawn Macandili.

Rebisco is slotted in Group B along with Supreme Chonburi of Thailand, Altay Volleyball Club of Kazakhstan and Saipa of Iran, while Choco Mucho is at Group A with Nakhon Ratchasima of Thailand and Zhetyssu of Kazakhstan.

National women’s volleyball team head coach Odjie Mamon said the players, including Jaja Santiago, will serve as the Philippine team’s pool for the upcoming international tournaments.

Among the upcoming tournaments for the Philippine team are the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam and Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship in the Philippines next year.

“There will be no changes with this 25-member lineup,” Mamon said during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum. “Kung may tournament na we need 14 players, it would come from that pool of players.”

“I think you have here in this lineup all the best volleyball players in the country,” he added. “We, the coaches, are always trying to do the best for volleyball team. We’re taking the best position until now.”/ASC, WDJ